Teaching Safe Horsemanship: A Guide to English and Western Instruction

Safe riding is correct riding. That's Jan Dawson's motto, and it's the philosophy behind her book, Teaching Safe Horsemanship. Dawson's goal is to provide both English and Western riding instructors with an effective and safe teaching program. She explains how to assess a horse's particular characteristics in order to weed out potentially dangerous animals. She also offers guidelines for assessing instructors and students, including what makes a good instructor and what attitudes can get in the way of learning proper horsemanship. Since 80 percent of all accidents involve falls due to loss of balance, Dawson identifies the techniques that ensure that a horse and rider are in proper balance. Finally, since she is a lawyer as well as a riding instructor, Dawson includes a chapter on securing useful liability forms, what insurance coverage does and does not do, and how to handle accidents and lawsuits. Dawson and her husband teach the only equine law course taught at a law school in the United States.

Author Jan Dawson was the owner and operator of Golondrina Stables and Training Center in Texas where she offered boarding, riding lessons, and horse training. She trained riders and horses in hunt seat, western, and dressage until she retired in 1995 to devote her time to horse showing. She teaches clinics to riders and instructors across the United States, teaches safety seminars, and certifies riding instructors. The techniques she uses to instruct her students are also visible in her book, Teaching Safe Horsemanship. Dawson is president and clinician of the American Association for Horsemanship Safety, Inc., and also writes Caution: Horses, the Association’s newsletter. She is a member of the United States Dressage Federation and the American Horse Show Association. Dawson lives in Fentress, Texas, with her family.